Improvement in trusses



UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE SIEGFBIED L. HOOKERT, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO HENRY HEEOKELRATH, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN TVRUSSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 168,492, dated October 5, 1875; application filed August 9, 1875.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SIEGFRIED L. HooK- ERT, of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Abdominal Support, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to an improved mode of manufacturing abdominal supports, which are so constructed, connected, and arranged that the support will always be exerted upon the abdomen in an upward direction, and avoiding the use of springs for connecting the front and rear pads, at, the same time providing means for the pads to yield easily and conform to the movements of the wearer, and still be held in proper position to support the back and abdomen.

My invention consists of certain novel construction and arrangement of parts, which will be fully hereinafter described, and specifically pointed out in the claims, a preliminary description being therefore deemed unnecessary.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents a front view of the support on the body of the wearer, and Fig. 2 a front view of my improvement detached.

A represents the abdominal pad, which is preferably made of the shape and relative size here shown. The pad is made of flexible metallic plate, tin being preferred, which is covered and suitably padded with any proper material. a a represent two button-rivets, which are firmly secured to the pad, and project through upon the outside, as shown in Fig. 2. B B represent flexible elastic straps or stays, steel being preferred, and are loosely covered with leather or other soft material to prevent chafing the body. 0 0 represent the upper or hip pads, which are fastened to the stays B B by a similar fastening, c, to that used to attach them to pad A. c 0 represent button rivets, attaching stays B to the center of pads C. These pads are preferably made of the same material as that used for pad A. These pads C may be of any desired shape and form, and can be made of any suitable material. D represents a strap, which may be made of leather webbing or any other desired material, one end of which is securely fastened to end has button-holes cut or bored in the same,

'of the proper size to engage on the button c.

.The pads 0 should rest upon the abdomen just inside of but not quite as high as the top of the hip-bone. Strap D allows the pads O O to be adjusted to suit the ease and wish of the user. E E represent back-pads, which are constructed similarly to pads O. F represents a flexible elastic stay, similar to stay B. G G represent straps for connecting pads E to pads O. Said strap may be made of any suitable material. Stay F and straps G H are secured and fastened to the center of pads E by any suitable means, rivets being preferred. Straps Gr G and H H each have a series of buttonholes for fastening them to buttons (1. a and c c,

and for adjusting the supportto fit the body.

It is beneficial to have the stays B fastened to pad A near the bottom thereof, as shown in Fig. 2, because pad A is fastened to the body by means of straps H, and, being attached near the bottom, the pressure will always be in an upward direction. It is beneficial to have the metal plate forming the base of pad A of flexible but not of elastic material, as it can be readily made to assume any required shape. At the same time there is much less rigidity to the pad, and requires less stuffing to make it easy to the wearer. By making the stays B of elastic flexible material, like whalebone, rubber, or thin sticks of steel, they will readily yield to the movements of the body, as in bending forward, while with the assistance of the straps they hold pads A, O, and G to their proper relative position to the body. Again, it is extremely desirable to avoid holding the pads and support in place by a spring surrounding the body, as they hurt the person wearing them, and will not allow the movements of the body Without pain. The lower pad A is designed to support the abdomen from the weight or bearing-down tendency of the organs. The upper pads O O are simply intended to assist in keeping pad A in place, and to assist pads E E in supporting the back. To accomplish this the straps H H are drawn more taut than straps G G. By making the stays B B and F of flexible elastic material they will readily conform-fro any shape and position of the body. When it is desired to support the back alone, the upper straps G G may be drawn as tight as straps H, or more so, and less upward support will be given to the abdomen. The upper straps G G pass above the hip, and are prevented from slipping down,

while the' lower straps H H pass below the hip and in the hollow above the hip-joint, which efl'ectually prevents the pads from working upward.

Other devices for securing the straps may be used than those I have described; but these I deem the best, as they'allow the stays to pivot thereon and turn readily, which movement is necessary in adjusting the pads G O, and they therefore accomplish a double oflice.

By fastening pads O and E with straps and stays by a button-rivet at the center, all tendency of the 'pad to roll and hurt the wearer is eflectually prevented, and is one of the features of my invention.

adjustable straps D, the back-pads E E and straps G connecting the back-pads'with the auxiliary pads G, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of July, 1875.

SIEGFRIED L. HOOKERT.

Witnesses:

JOHN OGARA, EDWARD BOYD. 

